Fuel vaporizing device



Aug. 4, 1936. c. L. CHAMBERLAIN ET AL 2,049,687

FUEL VAPORIZING DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS CHARLES L. CHAMBERLAIN M, FRANK H BROWN BY J I Me a? W Aug. 4, 1936- c. L. CHAMBERLAIN ET'AL 2,049,687

' FUEL VAPORIZING DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1934 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS CHARLES L. CHAMBERLNNAND FRANK H. BROWN BY mg,

Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES FUEL VAPORIZING DEVICE Charles 'L. Chamberlain and Frank H. Brown,

' Portland, Oreg.

Application February 24, 1934, Serial No. 712,772

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in fuel vaporizing devices for internal combustion engines and has for its principal object to provide a device of this character with which either gasoline or Diesel oil may be used to operate an engine with the highest degree of efficiency and fuel economy.

The invention is primarily intended for use with Diesel oil and is readily convertible to handle either gasoline or Diesel fuel.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of. this character whereby an engine may be started and operated for a short period of time on gasoline and then by manipulation of a single control, be converted into a Diesel carburetor adapted to feed Diesel oil to the engine for the operation thereafter. The engine is first run on gasoline until the exhaust manifold of the engine and its related parts are brought up to a predetermined operative temperature for vaporizing the Diesel oil. When this temperature is reached, the gasoline supply is cut off and the Diesel fuel is simultaneously fed to the engine for continuous operation thereafter.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a compact unit adapted to embrace an exhaust pipe of an engine to utilize the heat thereof in the most efficient manner and to use this heat for the proper vaporization of either gasoline or Diesel oil for the proper running of the engine.

These and other objects will appear as our invention is more, fully hereinafter described in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our device in operative engagement with the intake and exhaust manifolds of an internal combustion en- 40 gine.

Figure 2 is a slightly enlarged detail view of va combination valve and throttle mechanism.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal, sectional side elevation of a heating chamber engaged with an exhaust pipe.

Figure 4 is a sectional end elevation of Figure 3 taken on the line 44 of Figure'3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawingsz- Reference numeral l indicates an intake manifold of an engine formed with the usual flange 2. 3 indicates an exhaust manifold which is divided as shown in Figure 3 and formed with outwardly flared ends 4 for engagement with a heating chamber whose main body is generally indicated at 5. The end walls of the heating chamber 5 are formed with hollow externally threaded projections 6 with which the ends of the exhaust pipe 3 are united in open communication by means of a nut l with which any approved form of packing 8 may be used. The interior of the heating chamber 5 is formed with a hollow cylinder 9 enlarged at its central portion as at H]. The walls of the cylinder and the walls of the heating chamber are in spaced relation to each other and 10 are interconnected by integrally formed ribs, or baffles II, which extendentirely around the Joy]- inder. Extending lengthwise of the interior of the heating chamber and intersecting the bafiles II are longitudinal baffles l2 which also are 15 formed integral with the side Walls of the heating chamber and the cylinder and also the baffles II. By this arrangement a plurality of chambers I3 and I4 are formed within the chamber 5 and are thus separated by the bafiles .H and I2. The lowermost ends of the chambers l3 are provided with intakes l5 and I6 into which are fitted any approved form ofconnections H for receiving the usual feed lines for conveying fuel to the interior of thechamber. Through the end wall of one of the chambers I3 is threadedly mounted an air jet IlA provided with an adjustable needle valve MB to synchronize the flow of air through the jet and against the incoming flo'w'of Diesel oil to assistin atomizing the same as it enters the heating chamber 5. For convenience in describingthe flow of fuel through thechamber 5, the chambers hereinafter will be designated as.A, B,

C, D, E, and F. The uppermost end of the chamber F is formedwith an outlet opening 18. Superimposed upon the upper surface of the chamber 5 and bolted thereto in open communication with the interior of the chamber 5, is an air intake and mixing chamber in the form of two tubular housings l9 and 2!] longitudinally bored as at 2| and 22 and said bores being in open communication with each other. The bore 22 extends downwardly and into open communication with the outlet ill of the chamber 5. Conventional butterfly valves are mountedwithin the air intake members and are actuated by control rods 23 and 24 so that the flow of air through the passage l9 may be controlled and synchronized and likewise the flow of the mixture of airand fuel from the chamber 5 may be regulated in its passage to the intake manifold.

Mounted to the side wall of the chamber 5 in any approved manner is a combination valve and throttle unit generally indicated at 25. The unit 25 comprises valve casings 26 and 21 formed in opposite ends of the unit. One of said casings is provided with intake openings 28 and 29, and the other with outlet openings 30 and 3 I. The opening 29 is in open communication with a gasoline supply line 29A and the outlet opening 30 is in open communication with a gasoline line 30A for conveying gasoline to the interior of the chamber 5. The opposite openings 28 and 3| are in open communication with Diesel oil supply lines 29A and 3 IA for conveying Diesel fuel to theopposite interior end of the chamber 5. Within the valve casings are rotatably mounted valves 32 which are provided with exterior actuating arms 33. These arms are interconnected for simultaneous operation by a link 34. To the link 34,.midway of its length, is pivotally connected a control rod 35 extending to a point Within convenient reach of the operator so that a pull exerted upon the rod 35 will simultaneously change both valves from their gasoline-feeding positions shown in Figures 1 and 2, to an opposite position for conveying Dieseloil through both valves and thence into-the interior of the heating chamber 5'. Each valve casing is in open communication with a throttle mechanism" by means of ducts 35 and 31. The lower endof the duct 36 is enlarged as at 38 to receive a disc 39- formed with a plurality of small apertures or jets 40-. These jets are of a predetermined size to most efiiciently break up; the flow of fuel through the unit. The enlarged end of the duct 36 is in open communication with a cavity 4| formed transversely within the main body 25; Within this cavity is slidably mounted a plunger 42 reduced for a portion of its length as at 43. The reduced portion of the plunger forms an annular opening 44' which is at all times in open communication with one of the jets 40- to permit sufflcient passage of fuel through the throttle valve, when in closed position, for running the engine at an idling speed. As the plunger 42' is moved to the right, asviewedin Figure 2', more of the jets 4|] are brougth into open communication with the chamber 44 to thereby regulate or increase the flow of fuel therethrough with a resultant increase of speed in the operation of the engine. One end of the plunger 42 is provided with an arm 45 which extends through an end wall 46 of the cavity 4|. A compression spring 48 is interposed between the wall 415 and one end of the plunger, as" shown, to normally maintain the plunger 42' in the position shown in Figure 2 or in what might be termed an idling position.

When the engine is being operated on gasoline, the gasoline passes from the unit 25 through the feed line 30A into the chamber E of the heating chamber 5. From. the chamber E the gasoline makes a. quick passage upwardly through the chamber F and directly into the outlet opening 18 and thence 'intothe intake manifold of the engine. In contrast tothis the Diesel fuel enters at the opposite end of the chamber 5 into the chamher A. From this chamber it passes into and through. chamber B, thence through chambers C, D, and E, and then finally up through the outlet opening [8' and into the intake manifold. During this passage of the Diesel fuel through the various chambers of the heating chamber, it becomes vaporized and is presented to the engine in a combustible state.

The outside of the unit 25 may be covered with any approved form of removable inspection plate (not shown) so that the various elements within the unit 25 may be readily accessible. This unit is shown secured to the side wall of the heating chamber 5 and we have shown this arrangement merely for convenience of illustration, but it is to be understood, of course, that the saidunit 25 may be located at any convenient point with re spect to the related parts of the invention.

While we have shown a plurality of jets 40 in connection with the throttle valve, it is to be understood that any other form of jet may be usedsuch, for instance, as an angular slot or the like through which the flow of fuel may be regulated.

While. we have shown a particular form of embodiment of our invention, we are aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:--

1. In a fuel handling system for internal" combustion engines having an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold, the combination of a heating chamber horizontally interposed within the exhaust manifold, said heating chamber being formed with an internal longitudinally disposed cylindrical portion in open communication at both of its ends with said exhaust pipe, a plurality of chambers surrounding said cylindrical portion, means for selectively directing fuel through certain of said chambers or all of said chambers, one of said chambers being in open communication with the intake manifold of an engine.

2. In an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold, the combination of a heating chamber interposed within the exhaust manifold and in open communication therewith by means of a longitudinally disposed cylindrical portion, said heating chamber being formed with a plurality of upper and lower intercommunicating chambers, and means for selectively conveying said fuel to either end of said heating chamber, and subsequently into said intake manifold.

3. In an internal combustion engine having an intake andan exhaust manifold and a heating chamber in open communication with said exhaust manifold, the combination of means for directing fuel to either end of said heating chamber by a single operation. I

4. In an internal combustionenginehaving an intake and an exhaust manifold and a heating chamber in open communication with said exhaust manifold, the combination of means for directing fuel to either end of said heating chamber by a single operation, said means comprising a pair of valves each in open communication with a pair of fuel feed lines, and means for simultaneously actuating both of said valves for selectively receiving and discharging fuel from either of the said fuel lines. I

CHARLES L. CHAMBERLAIN. FRANK H. BROWN. 

